ES2609513T3 - Processing of mobile station history information in a wireless communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for processing mobile station transaction information in a service control node in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving (310, 410) a transaction history record from a transfer control node together with a first transfer of a mobile station (160) to the service control node; adding (330, 340, 350, 460) mobile station transaction data relating to the service control node, to the transaction history record to obtain an updated transaction history record, characterized in that said addition of station transaction data mobile comprises adding a cell identity for the service control node and one or more of between a cell descriptor and one or more time parameters indicating a duration of time during which the mobile station (160) was served by the service control node, where the mobile station transaction data is generated by the service control node, and transfer (360, 470) the updated transaction history record to an objective control node along with a subsequent handover from the mobile station (160) to the target control node.

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Information processing of mobile station history in a wireless communication system Technical field

The present invention relates generally to wireless communications, and in particular refers to methods and apparatus for processing mobile station transaction information between base stations in a wireless communication system that employs a distributed control architecture.

Background

As wireless network operators strive to increase the capacity and performance of their networks, it is expected that cells in mobile communication systems can be deployed in a wide variety of sizes. In particular, many cells will be much smaller than in past systems. Network operators are already beginning to widely deploy what is known as microcell and picocell, for example in shopping centers, urban centers, and office areas.

At the same time, there is a tendency to move the radio network control functionality to the base station site in the new network architectures. This is true, for example, in the Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless communication systems currently under development by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). Similar concepts are also being discussed with respect to the implementation of very small Radio Network Controllers (RNCs) for Evolved High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) systems. The proponents of this trend suggest that the location of the resource control functionality at the base station site will result in better system behavior, because more relevant information will be available for radio resource management decisions. .

On the other hand, the network control procedures implemented in a centralized architecture, such as the transfer procedures in a conventional 3G RNC, can more easily take advantage of the information related to the situation in several neighboring cells, as well as the conditions in the cell current in which a user equipment (UE) is located. The use of a distributed architecture, that is, a system model where control functionality is pushed to base stations, therefore potentially creates a situation where the control function has a great deal of knowledge to date of the local environment , but it does not have the broadest network overview that could be available in a centralized control function. In such a system, a handover procedure carried out at an LTE base station (an eNodeB) could be based largely on limited information, such as status information for the current cell and any neighboring cells served by The same eNodeB.

Another potential problem of a distributed architecture model is that the mobile user equipment can be controlled by different controllers for a short period of time, as the user equipment is made to pass (be transferred) from a base station to another. Although each controller (the eNodeB in the case of an LTE system) can monitor the activity of a specific mobile station while serving that mobile station, this information is generally lost when the mobile station is transferred to another controller. This is a minor problem in a system that makes use of a centralized control architecture, since a controller in such a system typically covers many cells, and a mobile station is generally controlled by the same controller for a longer period of time. long.

In the examination procedures before the European Patent Office, references WO98 / 18281 A1, JP2001 / 268619 A, WO2006 / 130203 A2 and US2004 / 192310 A1 have been cited as prior art according to Art. 54 (2) EPC ; references WO2009 / 079316 A1 and WO2009 / 21711 A1 have been cited as prior rights under Art. 54 (3) EPC. In particular, the international application published as WO98 / 18281 A1 discloses a method that aims to avoid too frequent transfers. According to the method, for a mobile station that travels in a geographical area covered by a microcell and independently covered by a macrocell, a current base station controller determines the number of transfers made by the mobile station in a given period of time in based on a transfer history of the mobile station, and compare the number with a predetermined threshold value. Based on the comparison, a hierarchical cell selection procedure or a normal cell selection procedure is chosen. The transfer history of the mobile station is updated with a time stamp of the new transfer event if the mobile station is transferred to a microcell, and then communicated with the base station controller of the selected microcell. In another case, if the mobile station is transferred to a macrocell, the transfer history is initialized.

Summary

The present invention, as defined by the independent claims, comprises a method for processing mobile station transaction information in a service control node in a wireless communication system according to claim 1. In particular, the service control node it can be a base station node, such as an eNodeB in an LTE / SAE system. The transaction information that can

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include, for example, transaction information related to mobility and transaction information related to traffic, for a given mobile station, it can be updated and passed between controlling control nodes as the corresponding mobile station is transferred, so that a node Control controller has access to information characterizing the past activities of the mobile station. Transaction information, which may be passed from one control node to another in the form of a transaction history record, may include, by way of non-limiting example, information about the cells in which the mobile station has been present. , and for how long, as well as information describing the uplink and downlink data transfer activity of the mobile station.

Among the advantages provided by the inventive methods and apparatus disclosed herein, is a control node according to one or more embodiments of the invention that has access to historical transaction information for a served mobile station, which can be used, in various embodiments, to improve the allocation decisions of link resources, to improve the transfer decisions, and to detect and / or prevent unwanted transfer patterns, including so-called ping-pong transfers. Those skilled in the art will be able to appreciate additional advantages resulting from the timely, complete and updated historical information made available through various embodiments of the present invention.

Accordingly, an example of a method comprises receiving, in a service control node, a transaction history record from a transfer control node together with a first transfer of a mobile station to the service control node. After adding mobile station transaction data related to the service control node to the transaction history record to obtain an updated transaction history record, the updated transaction history record is transferred to a target control node together with a subsequent transfer of the mobile station to the target control node. In some embodiments, the method further comprises using the transaction history record to make handover decisions, such as selecting an objective control node for a handover, or to allocate link resources.

Embodiments of the invention further include a control node configured to act as a service control node for processing mobile station transaction history data according to claim 16. One or more of those control node embodiments may comprise an eNodeB for its use in an LTE / SAE network.

In other further embodiments, a computer program product according to claim 34 is provided which includes a computer readable program code materialized in a computer readable medium, the computer readable program code being configured to perform the method described in The foregoing.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the above features and advantages. In fact, those skilled in the art will recognize additional features and advantages with reading the detailed description that follows, and with the visualization of the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating aspects of an LTE / SAE wireless communication network.

Figure 2 illustrates an example of mobile station transaction information and its relationship with cells of a wireless communication system:

Figure 3 is a logical flow chart of an embodiment of a method for processing mobile station transaction information.

Figure 4 is a logical flow chart of another embodiment of a method for processing mobile station transaction information.

Figure 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a base station configured to process mobile station transaction information.

Detailed description

The design and specification of the next generation of wireless communication networks is currently underway under the auspices of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), in an effort known as the Long Term Evolution (LTE) initiative. Together with the definition of new wireless interfaces, a new backbone network architecture is also being defined, in a standardization effort known as System Architecture Evolution (SAE). As shown in Figure 1, an LTE / SAE network includes at least two types of network elements that support user and control planes: an enhanced base station 110, called Evolved NodeB or "eNodeB", and the Gate of Link 120 of SAE. The eNodeB 110 provides the management of radio and LTE air interface resources, while the SAE Gateway 120 provides a mobility anchor point for the user plane and provides a gateway for service networks 140 IP, which may include Internet, Intranet, and other IP-based service networks.

In the discussion that follows, the present methods and apparatus of the invention are described in the context of a network.

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wireless of LTE / SAE. In this case, many of the control functions described herein reside in an eNodeB 110. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the inventive techniques described herein are applicable to other types of networks and other configurations. Network For example, the methods and apparatus of the invention disclosed herein may be applicable to an evolved High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) architecture, in which the Radio Network Controller (RNC) is integrated into the NodeB , as well as a GERAN / UTRA architecture; Version 99, in which the historical information described below could be transferred between peer control nodes (for example, RNCs and / or Base Station Controllers). Thus, it is intended that the description of the invention in terms of LTE / SAE network elements be illustrative, not limiting.

Unlike its predecessors, the LTE / SAE architecture does not include a separate Radio Network Controller (RNC) responsible for managing several base stations. In contrast, many of the radio resource management and mobility management functions previously performed by an RNC are transferred to eNodeB 110. As indicated previously, this change allows the control function to access information on more timely in relation to the conditions of radio resources (for example, signal conditions, loading conditions) in the one or more cells served by the eNodeB 110. However, this change also presents some challenges, given that an eNodeB 110 generally lacks a broader system overview than an RNC could have that monitors several base stations.

Control decisions made only with local information can generate various problems. For example, a mobile station that moves quickly (such as mobile station 160 in Figure 1) in a distributed architecture could be transferred between several microcells (generating frequent transfers), when this mobile station 160 could be better served by a macrocell In the same area. A control function located in one of the various microcells may not be aware that the mobile station 160 that is moving rapidly, or that the mobile station 160 has recently encountered frequent transfers.

According to another example, an inactive mobile station 160 could be moved, after some time, to a more energy efficient state. In a distributed architecture, there is a risk that a mobile station 160 that travels through the network will never be controlled by a single controller for a period of time long enough for the controller to recognize that the most efficient state should be activated. energetically.

Other problems may arise from the transfer in a system with distributed radio resource management. For example, if a mobile station 160 is transferred from one base station to another in the middle of a current uplink data transfer, it is preferred that the mobile station 160 immediately receive an appropriate allocation of uplink resources in the cell objective, even before the mobile station 160 sends a report of the status of the uplink buffer to the target eNodeB 110. This is difficult to achieve in a distributed architecture if the resource control function in the target cell is not aware of the activity level of the mobile station in the old cell. These challenges potentially result in a waste of radio resources or unnecessarily constricted behavior of the mobile station.

Therefore, the present disclosure is directed to methods and apparatus for use in a wireless communication system, in which a controlling unit, for example a radio resource control function in an LTE eNodeB 110, maintains a history of transaction for a mobile station 160 and causes that history to be passed to subsequent controller units that receive control of mobile station 160. The transaction history contains information about the past activities of the user equipment. In some embodiments, the transaction history includes transaction information related to mobility, such as information about the cells in which mobile station 160 has been present and the time consumed in those cells. In some embodiments, the transaction history includes information related to traffic, such as the amount and / or type of traffic data sent to, and / or received by, mobile station 160.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a resource controller that currently serves mobile station 160, for example the radio control function in service eNodeB 110, passes transaction history information for mobile station 160 to resource controller that should take over the control of the mobile station 160 after the handover, for example the radio control function in the target eNodeB 110. In various embodiments, this transaction history information can take any one of several forms. For example, the transaction history may comprise a historical list that relates events added by each of the controllers that have controlled the mobile station 160. Alternatively (or in addition to said list), the transaction history may comprise one or more parameters cumulative that describe the level of mobility and past activity of mobile station 160. These cumulative parameters can be updated for each control function as mobile station 160 is transferred from one base station to another.

In some embodiments, the controller, when taking control of a mobile station 160 by means of an incoming handover, receives a transaction history record from the previous control function, and uses the transaction history information as input for processes. of subsequent decision. For example, the controller may use traffic related transaction information from the history log of

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transaction in the allocation of resources to mobile station 160. This transaction information related to traffic could include data rates, amounts of data, and / or types of data recently transmitted or received by mobile station 160. The controller could use also transaction information related to mobility from the transaction history record, including the information that identifies the previous cells and the types of the previous cells visited by the mobile station 160 and the time consumed in each one. A controller could use this type of information, for example, in the selection of a target cell for subsequent handover. For example, if transaction information related to historical mobility indicates that mobile station 160 has been frequently transferred, the controller could determine that a macrocell is a more appropriate transfer target than an adjacent microcell.

In several embodiments, a service controller may add additional transaction information, and / or update cumulative parameters concerning the activity of the mobile station, to pass to a subsequent controller when a subsequent transfer is made.

The transaction history record could be defined with a parameter that indicates a maximum size for the record, in order to control the size of the record that is forwarded on each transfer. In some of those embodiments, controllers may apply a first-in-first-first-out strategy when the size of the transaction log exceeds the predetermined maximum size, deleting the oldest information to accommodate the information. more recent. In other embodiments, the information could be stored in the registry along with a time stamp, so that the transaction information that exceeds a certain age, that is, the information that has been in the registry for a longer time than a predetermined value , be removed from the transaction history.

In general, although without excluding other types of information, the content of the transaction history can be divided into at least two categories. The first, the transaction information related to mobility, includes information related to previously visited cells. This category of information could include, among other things, a cell identity, a type of cell and the consumption of time in a cell (or an hour of entry of the mobile terminal and / or an hour of departure of the mobile terminal), to each of several previously visited cells. Figure 2 illustrates an example of the transaction information related to mobility that could be contained in a transaction history record. In Figure 2, cell IDs c002, c028 and c014 identify micro cells 210 that cover an area partially covered by a macrocell 220, corresponding to a cell ID of C017. An example of transaction information 230 related to mobility has also been represented.

The reception controller may use the historical information included in the transaction information 230 along with other information, such as mobile station measurements, to make decisions regarding the most appropriate cell or target system. For example, a radio resource controller that uses the transaction information 230 related to mobility of Figure 1, could conclude that a mobile station 160 from cell c002 and that has remained there less than a certain time period, such about 120 seconds, it should be transferred to the C017 macrocell if the measurements of the mobile station indicate that this is feasible.

The reception controller can also use this information to estimate other parameters. For example, if the controller has information on the average sizes of the neighboring cells, it could use the transaction history information indicating the time spent in the previous cells to produce an approximate speed estimate for the mobile station 160. Referring to a once again to the mobility related transaction information shown in Figure 2, a mobile station 160 that has remained 84 seconds in cell c028, which has perhaps a radius of only 100 meters, could be designated as a "medium speed" user .

Transaction information related to mobility could also be used to generate and update cumulative parameters that describe the mobility of a mobile station. For example, an operating parameter that indicates the number of transfers per unit of time or an estimated speed of the mobile station could be updated by each controller before the transaction history record is forwarded to a new controller. Optionally, these parameters could be weighted or filtered, so that the recent mobility information is effectively classified as higher than the oldest information.

A second category of transaction history data is the transaction information related to the traffic. This category could include information such as when mobile station 160 entered an active mode and / or traffic activity (optionally, with time stamps) during the active mode. Traffic activity information could identify specific carriers that have been used by the mobile, the last time a package was sent, the amount of data sent or received, the types of data sent or received, and so on. In some embodiments, the data relating to various activities may be sealed in time with a calculated time parameter with reference to the start time of an active mode. This approach can reduce the amount of data stored in the transaction log, and eliminates the need for time stamps to be recalculated at each transfer.

Referring again to Figure 2, an example of a set of transaction information has been illustrated.

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240 related to traffic. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mobility-related and traffic-related data in Figure 2 are illustrative only. As explained above, various data can be registered in each base station. In addition, information can be recorded in a variety of formats; the appropriate coding of the information can reduce the size of the data that is transferred between base stations. In any case, in some embodiments of the present invention, a receiving controller may use transaction information 240 related to traffic, perhaps together with transaction information 230 related to mobility, to make various resource management decisions. For example, the controller could use the information to determine when to activate a transition from mobile station 160 to a more energy efficient state. As an example, the receiving controller could receive the transaction information 240 related to traffic along with a handover of a mobile station 160. After 1590 milliseconds from the moment the mobile station 160 entered the cell, the controller could activate a transition to the inactive state. This example assumes an inactivity timer of 6000 milliseconds, which was triggered because the controller was able to calculate that mobile station 160 had already been inactive for 4410 milliseconds (4560 minus 150).

As described above with respect to transaction information related to mobility, a radio resource controller may generate and / or update one or more cumulative parameters that describe a traffic activity of the mobile station, for inclusion in the transaction history log passed from controller to controller. These cumulative parameters could include, for example, an average uplink and / or downlink bit rate, for a given period of time or for the duration of an active mode period. The cumulative parameters indicating the peak uplink or downlink requirements for mobile station 160 may also be maintained. Any of these parameters could be weighted or filtered, in order to classify the most recent activity information that is higher than the oldest information.

Consequently, a transaction history record for a mobile station 160, containing any of the above information, can be passed from a transfer base station to a service base station, in a first transfer of the mobile station 160 Following the update of the transaction history record, the service base station may transfer the updated transaction history record to an objective base station together with a subsequent transfer of the mobile station 160. This general procedure has been illustrated in Figure 3, which can be implemented, for example, in an eNodeB 110 of an LTE / SAE wireless communication system. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that some of the steps illustrated in Figure 3 may be omitted. In addition, several of the stages can be executed in a different order than shown.

In block 310, a transaction history record is received for a mobile station 160 from a transfer base station. In some embodiments, the transaction history is received along with a transfer from mobile station 160 to a new service base station. The transaction history record can be transferred directly, as part of the transfer message between the transfer base station and the new service base station, or it can be transferred indirectly, such as through a gateway or a separate server. In an LTE / SAE system, for example, the transaction history can be transferred between the base stations using the X2 interface defined by 3GPP.

In block 320, control of the mobile station 160 is received from the mobile transfer station 160. With the exception of the transfer of the transaction log, the transfer can be carried out according to conventional means. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the control of the mobile station 160 by the receiving base station can be obtained prior to the receipt of the transaction history record in some embodiments and / or under certain circumstances.

In block 330, the reception base station (now the service base station) adds transaction data related to mobility to the transaction history record. This may include simply adding a cell identifier corresponding to the service base station, perhaps with a time stamp that identifies the time consumption in the reception base station. This last information, of course, cannot finally be added to the Transaction history record until mobile station 160 is transferred to a new base station. Other transaction data related to mobility, such as any of the elements discussed above, can also be added to the transaction history record.

In block 340, the service base station adds transaction data related to traffic to the transaction history record. This may include any information that characterizes data transfers made while the mobile station 160 is serviced in the current cell, such as any of the parameters related to data that have been discussed previously. In some embodiments, as discussed above, parameters that describe particular data transfer events can be added; These parameters may characterize a quantity or type of data transfer, and may include time stamp information. In some embodiments, the transaction information related to traffic added to the transaction history record may include only a timestamp indicating when a mobile station 160 finally transmitted or received data; in other embodiments, traffic related information will characterize

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data transfers in greater detail.

In block 350, one or more cumulative activity parameters are updated. This update may require that a cumulative parameter be retrieved from the transaction history record, modified and then saved in a newly updated transaction history record. These cumulative activity parameters, as indicated above, may include parameters that characterize the mobility of the mobile station, such as a parameter indicating the total number of transfers for a mobile station 160, or the number of transfers per period of time. particular reference time, or parameters that characterize data traffic activities, such as a maximum downlink or uplink data transfer, or an average data transfer rate per reference time period.

Finally, in block 360, the updated transaction history record is transferred to an objective base station. This may be associated with a transfer from mobile station 160 to the target base station, as illustrated in block 370.

As indicated above, the transaction history record corresponding to a mobile station 160 may be used by a service base station to make radio resource control decisions related to that mobile station 160. The base station of service could, for example, allocate link resources (such as resource blocks, in an LTE / SAE system) for mobile station 160 based, at least in part, on the transaction information related to traffic contained in the registry of transaction history. In addition, a service base station could base handover decisions on the transaction history record.

Figure 4 therefore provides an illustration of an example method for the use of a transaction history record, as may be implemented, for example, in an eNodeB 110 of an LTE / SAE wireless communication system. The method of Figure 4 "begins" in block 410 with the receipt of a transaction history record corresponding to a mobile station 160 under the control of (or about being transferred to) a base station. In general, the transaction history record is transferred directly from a transfer base station, although indirect transfers are possible. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that some of the steps illustrated in Figure 4 may be omitted. In addition, several of the stages can be executed in a different order than the one shown.

In block 420, the reception base station (now on duty) forecasts the link resource requirements for mobile station 160 based on the transaction history record. In some embodiments, the transaction history record may be available for the base station prior to receiving a transmission buffer update from the newly transferred mobile station 160, and may be used to allocate link resources or update a previously made allocation of link resources, as shown in block 430. In some embodiments, the transaction history record may be used in conjunction with buffer information received from mobile station 160 or determined at the base station to predict The resource needs are likely to be associated with the mobile station 160. Thus, some embodiments of the present invention provide the advantage of an improved allocation of link resources based on an improved prediction of resource needs for a mobile station 160 attended.

In block 440, the service base station uses the transaction history record to identify cells previously visited by mobile station 160. This transaction history record thus facilitates improved transfer decisions, since this information can be used, among other things, to select an objective base station, as shown in block 450. This previously visited cell information can be used, for example, to reduce so-called ping-pong transfers, where a mobile station 160 It is repeatedly transferred between two adjacent cells. Thus, in some embodiments, the previously visited cell information is evaluated to detect a pattern of ping-pong transfers. If a

ping-pong transfer pattern, or other unwanted transfer pattern, then the service base station

You can adjust, in response, one or more transfer criteria. For example, the transfer criteria can be adjusted so that a service base station retains a mobile station for a longer time prior to the transfer. (Those skilled in the art will appreciate that this can be done in several

shapes. For example, one or more signal strength thresholds can be set for handover).

Alternatively, a mobile terminal can be transferred from a microcell to a macrocell in response to the detection of a ping-pong pattern or other unwanted transfer pattern. The detection of an unwanted handover pattern can also activate the generation of a diagnostic message for use by system operators in troubleshooting and maintaining the system. This diagnostic message can be saved in a log, or sent to an address designated for a system operator.

Similarly, previously visited cell information can be analyzed to determine if a mobile station 160 currently serviced by a microcell could be better served by an overlapping macrocell. This determination could be based, for example, on the number of microcells visited in a given period of time, so that mobile terminals that move quickly experience fewer transfers.

In block 460, during preparation for an imminent transfer, the transaction history record is

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update, as set forth above with reference to Figure 3. Finally, in block 470, the updated transaction history record is transferred to the target base station, again as discussed above.

Referring now to Figure 5, an example of a base station 500 that can be used to implement one or more of the methods described herein is shown. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the illustrated base station 500 is only an example of a control node for implementing the methods described herein. Many of the functions of the 5l0 control processor, in particular, can be implemented using a separate device, which could be co-located with conventional base station equipment or remotely located with respect to the base station. Thus, the functionality of the control node can be part of an eNodeB in an LTE / SAE system, for example, or it can be a separate control function in any other network. For example, as discussed above, the control node functionality may be part of a radio network controller (RNC) or a base station controller. Therefore, a control function may be associated with a single base station or several base stations.

In any case, the example of the base station 500 of Figure 1 includes a processing unit 510 configured for communication with one or more mobile stations 160 using radio transceiver circuit 520 and an antenna 525. The base station 500 includes also a network interface 570 for communication with other elements of a wireless network that includes, in some embodiments, other base stations 500 and access gateways such as the access gateway 120 of LTE / SAE, shown in Figure 1. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, in some embodiments, the base station 500 may comprise an eNodeB for use in an LTE / SAE wireless communication system, but the methods and apparatus of the invention described herein. They are applicable to other wireless network standards and also to other network configurations. Generally speaking, the radio transceiver circuitine 520 and portions of the processing unit 510, such as the baseband signal processor 530, are configured to meet one or more wireless telecommunications standards, such as those promulgated. by Mp4P. For example, by way of non-limiting example, the baseband signal processor 530 may be configured to encode and decode signals in accordance with 3GPP LTE standards defining physical layer protocols for downlink signals based on Multiple Access by Orthogonal Frequency Division (OFDMA) and Multiple Access uplink signals by Single Carrier Frequency Division (SC-FDMA).

The processing unit 510 includes, in addition to the baseband signal processor 530, a radio resource manager 540, a mobility manager 550, another control processing 555, and memory 560, which in turn comprises a storage of program 562 and other data necessary for the operation of the base station 500, including transaction history data 564. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that Figure 5 shows a functional representation of the elements of the processing unit 510. Consequently, each of the represented processing blocks may correspond directly, in some embodiments, to one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers or digital signal processors, commercially available or customized. In other embodiments, however, two or more of the 510 functional blocks may be implemented in a single processor, while the functions of other blocks are divided between two or more processors. Similarly, memory 560 is representative of the one or more memory devices containing the software, firmware, and data used to implement the functionality of the base station in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. Thus, memory 560 can include, but is not limited to, the following types of devices: cache, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash, SRAM and DRAM.

The base station 500, and in particular the processing unit 510, may be configured to implement one or more of the methods described herein for processing mobile station transaction information. Accordingly, the processing unit 510 may be configured to receive a transaction history record from a transfer base station together with a first transfer of a mobile station 160 to the base station 500. The transaction history record is Typically received through a network interface 570, which, in an LTE system, can comprise an X2 interface as defined by 3GPP specifications. The processing unit 510 is further configured to add transaction data from the mobile station to the transaction history record; This mobile station transaction may include transaction information related to mobility and / or transaction information related to traffic, as described above. The processing unit 510 is further configured to transfer the updated transaction log to an objective base station along with a subsequent transfer of the mobile station to an objective base station.

In some embodiments, the processing unit 510 may be configured to identify cells previously visited by a mobile station using the corresponding transaction history record, and to select a target base station for the subsequent transfer based on, at least partially, a previously visited cell information. In such embodiments, then, the mobility manager 550, which is generally responsible for the functions related to the handover, uses the contents of the transaction log for a given mobile station 160, to make decisions related to the handover. . In some embodiments, the processing unit 510 may estimate a speed for the mobile station 160, based on the information included in the transaction log, and may use that estimated speed in

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transfer decisions. Thus, the mobility manager 550 can determine that a particular mobile station 160 is better served by a macrocell than by a microcell, based on the transaction history data.

Similarly, radio resource manager 540, which allocates link resources between multiple mobile stations 160, can use transaction history data to make resource allocation decisions. The transaction history record for a newly received mobile station 160 may be used, for example, to make or adjust allocations of link resources in advance of receiving a transmission buffer update from the mobile station 160. The historical record of transaction can also be used together with status information received from mobile station 160 to make assignments of link resources.

A computer program code for carrying out the operations of the various control nodes discussed above with respect to Figures 1-5, may be written in a high-level programming language, such as Java, C, and / or C ++, for development convenience. Additionally, the computer program code for carrying out the operation of the embodiments of the present invention may also be written in other programming languages, such as, but not limited to, interpreted languages. Some modules or routines may be written in assembly language or even in a microcode to increase performance and / or memory usage. It will also be appreciated that the functionality of any, or all program modules, can also be implemented using discrete hardware components, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or a programmed digital signal microcontroller or processor.

The present invention has been described in the foregoing with reference to flowcharts and / or illustrations of block diagrams of methods, devices and / or software products in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. These flowcharts and / or block diagrams therefore illustrate examples of operations for processing mobile station transaction information in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. It will be understood that each block of the flow chart and / or block diagram illustrations, and the combinations of blocks in the flow chart and / or block diagram illustrations, can be implemented by computer program instructions and / u hardware operations. The instructions of the computer program may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus for producing a machine, such that the instructions, which are executed by means of the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means to implement the functions specified in the flowchart and / or in the block or blocks of the block diagram.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-usable memory or in a computer-readable memory that a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus can operate to operate in a particular way, such that the stored instructions in the usable memory with a computer or readable with a computer, produce a manufacturing article that includes instructions that implement the function specified in the flowchart and / or in the block or blocks of the block diagram. The computer program instructions may also be loaded into a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be carried out in the computer or other programmable apparatus, to produce a computer-implemented process in such a way. that the instructions executed in the computer or other programmable device provide steps to implement the functions specified in the flowchart and / or in the block or blocks of the block diagram.

According to those skilled in the art, the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings represent non-limiting examples of the methods and apparatus taught herein. As such, the present invention is not limited by the foregoing description or the accompanying drawings. On the contrary, the present invention is limited only by the following claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims (34)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 40 Four. Five fifty 1. - A method for processing mobile station transaction information in a service control node in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving (310, 410) a transaction history record from a transfer control node together with a first transfer from a mobile station (160) to the service control node; add (330, 340, 350, 460) mobile station transaction data relating to the service control node, to the transaction history record to obtain an updated transaction history record, characterized in that said addition of station transaction data mobile comprises adding a cell identity for the service control node and one or more of between a cell descriptor and one or more time parameters indicating a duration of time during which the mobile station (160) was served by the service control node, where the mobile station transaction data is generated by the service control node, and transfer (360, 470) the updated transaction history record to a target control node along with a subsequent transfer of the mobile station (160) to the target control node. 2. - The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the mobile station transaction data comprises transaction information (230) related to mobility or transaction information (240) related to traffic, or both. 3. - The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the transaction history record comprises identifiers for one or more cells visited by the mobile station (160) before arriving at the service control node. 4. - The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the cell descriptor indicates a type of cell or a cell size, or both. 5. - The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the addition (330, 340, 350, 460) of mobile station transaction data relating to the service control node to the transaction history record to obtain a historical record of updated transaction, it includes adding at least one parameter of traffic activity. 6. - The method according to claim 5, further characterized in that the at least one traffic activity parameter indicates one or more of a type of data carrier, a quantity of data, a data rate, and an activity time of data. 7. - The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the addition (330, 340, 350, 460) of mobile station transaction data relating to the service control node to the transaction history record to obtain a historical record updated transaction comprises updating one or more cumulative parameters included in the transaction history record. 8. - The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises selectively deleting one or more data items from the transaction history record received based on the age of the one or more data items. 9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises selectively deleting one or more data items from the transaction history record received based on the size of the transaction history record and at a predetermined maximum size for the history log of transaction. 10. - The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: Identify (440) cells previously visited by the mobile station (160) using the transaction log, and Select (450) the target control node for subsequent handover based on previously visited cells. 11. - The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: identify (440) cells previously visited by the mobile station (160) using the transaction history record; evaluate previously visited cells identified to detect one or more unwanted transfer patterns, and select (450) the target control node for subsequent handover based on said evaluation and previously identified cells. 12. - The method according to claim 11, further characterized in that the one or more handover patterns 5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 40 Four. Five Undesirable include a ping-pong handover pattern characterized by repeated handovers between two base stations, wherein the selection (450) of the target control node for subsequent handover based on said evaluation and previously identified cells comprises adjusting one or more handover criteria in response to the detection of said ping-pong handover pattern. 13. - The method according to claim 11, characterized in that it further comprises generating a diagnostic message in response to the detection of one or more of the unwanted transfer patterns. 14. - The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: determine an estimated speed for the mobile station (160) using the transaction history record, and select the target control node for subsequent handover based on the estimated speed. 15. - The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: forecast (420) link resource requirements for the mobile station (160) based on the transaction history record, and allocate (430) link resources based on the predicted link resource requirements. 16. - A first control node configured to act as a service control node for use in a wireless communication system, the first control node including a processing unit configured to: receiving a transaction history record from a transfer control node together with a first transfer from a mobile station (160) to the first control node; add mobile station transaction data relating to the first control node, to the transaction history record to obtain an updated transaction history record, characterized in that the added mobile station transaction data comprises a cell identity for the service control node and one or more of between a cell descriptor and one or more time parameters indicating a duration of time during which the station mobile (160) was serviced by the service control node, where the service control node is configured to generate the mobile station transaction data, and transfer the updated transaction history record to an objective control node along with a subsequent handover of the mobile station (160). 17. - The first control node according to claim 16, further characterized in that the mobile station transaction data comprises transaction information (230) related to mobility or transaction information (240) related to traffic, or both. 18. - The first control node according to claim 16, further characterized in that the transaction history record comprises a list of cells visited by the mobile station (160) prior to arrival at the first control node. 19. - The first control node according to claim 16, wherein the first control node comprises a base station node (500) in the wireless communication system. 20. - The first control node according to claim 16, wherein the first control node comprises a radio network controller (RNC) in the wireless communication system. 21. - The first control node according to claim 16, wherein the first control node comprises a base station controller (BSC) in the wireless communication system. 22. - The first control node according to claim 16, further characterized in that the cell descriptor indicates a cell type or a cell size, or both. 23. - The first control node according to claim 16, further characterized in that the processing unit is configured to: add mobile station transaction data relative to the first control node, to the transaction history record to obtain an updated transaction history record by adding at least one parameter of traffic activity. 24. - The first control node according to claim 23, further characterized in that the at least one traffic activity parameter indicates one or more of a type of data carrier, a quantity of data, a rate of 5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 40 Four. Five data and a data activity time. 25. - The first control node according to claim 16, further characterized in that the processing unit is configured to: add mobile station transaction data relative to the first control node, to the transaction history record to obtain an updated transaction history record by updating one or more cumulative parameters included in the transaction history record. 26. - The first control node according to claim 16, further characterized in that the processing unit is also configured to: selectively delete one or more data items from the transaction history record received based on the age of the one or more data items. 27. - The first control node according to claim 16, further characterized in that the processing unit is also configured to: selectively delete one or more data items from the received transaction history record, based on the size of the transaction history record and a predetermined maximum size for the transaction history record. 28. - The first control node according to claim 16, further characterized in that the processing unit is also configured to: identify cells previously visited by the mobile station (160) using the transaction log and select the target control node for subsequent transfer based on the previously visited cells. 29. - The first control node according to claim 16, further characterized in that the processing unit is also configured to: determine an estimated speed for the mobile station (160) using the transaction log and select the target control node for subsequent handover based on the estimated speed. 30. - The first control node according to claim 16, further characterized in that the processing unit is also configured to: forecast a link resource requirement for the mobile station (160) based on the transaction history record and allocate link resources based on the forecast link resource requirement. 31. - The first control node according to claim 16, further characterized in that the processing unit is also configured to: identify cells previously visited by the mobile station (160) using the transaction history record; evaluate previously visited cells identified to detect one or more unwanted transfer patterns, and select the target control node for subsequent handover based on said evaluation and previously identified cells. 32. - The first control node according to claim 31, further characterized in that the one or more unwanted handover patterns include a ping-pong handover pattern characterized by repeated handovers between two base stations, wherein the processing unit is also configured to adjust one or more handover criteria in response to the detection of said ping-pong handover pattern. 33. - The first control node according to claim 31, further characterized in that the processing unit is also configured to generate a diagnostic message in response to the detection of one or more of the unwanted transfer patterns. 34. - A computer program for use in, or with, a control node that acts as a service control node in a wireless communication system, the computer program comprising computer readable instructions which, when executed by means of a unit of processing of the control node, make the control node carry out the following method steps: receiving (310, 410) a transaction history record from a transfer control node along with a first transfer from a mobile station (160) to the service control node; add (330, 340, 350, 460) mobile station transaction data related to the service control node, to the registry of transaction history to obtain an updated transaction history record, characterized in that said addition of mobile station transaction data comprises adding a cell identity for the service control node and one or more of between a cell descriptor and one or more time parameters indicating a duration of time during which the mobile station (160) was served by the service control node, where 5 the mobile station transaction data is generated by the service control node, Y transfer (360, 470) the updated transaction history record to a target control node along with a subsequent transfer of the mobile station (160) to the target control node.